Lok Sabha Productivity

LOK SABHA PRODUCTIVITY HAS INCREASED

What’s in news?

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha has been very productive so far in the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) getting a brute majority in the recent general elections.

Key data’s:

With the newly elected members of Parliament clocking unprecedented hours, working till 12 midnight on many days, the new session has so far registered record productivity of 128%, as of 16th July, 2019, as per statistics collated by non-profit organisation PRS Legislative Research.

This is based on the amount of time spent by members on discussions and other productive work as a percentage of the stipulated time.

The research showed that, the first session of the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009 had 28.05 productive hours, at 67% productivity, while the first session of the 16th Lok Sabha registered 23.83 hours at a productivity of 66%, data showed.

If this trend continues till next week, this session could likely be the most productive under the NDA. On days of the session assessed, the Lok Sabha has seen 100% productivity on all days except three.

On at least three working days in the session, proceedings have continued till after 11pm.

Similar productivity has been witnessed in the Rajya Sabha with the current session seeing 98% productivity, which is a massive increase from the last budget session of the 16th Lok Sabha which saw 7% productivity.

The productivity means that, no. of increasing hours, bills and amendments can be passed which is good. The main reason for this is, the current ruling party enjoying the majority to pass a bill in the lower house.

The Lok Sabha official working hours are from 11am to 6 pm, with an hour-long break between 1 and 2 pm.

Important Parliamentary Bills:

Ad hoc Committee – A Committee constituted by the House or by the Chairman or by the presiding officers of both the Houses jointly to consider and report on specific matter and becomes functus officio as soon as the task is completed.

Adjournment of Debate -Adjournment on a motion adopted by the House, of the debate on a Motion/Resolution/Bill on which the House is then engaged until a future day or sine die as specified in the motion.

Adjournment of the sitting of the House – Termination of the sitting of the House which meets again at the time appointed for the next sitting.

Adjournment sine die -Termination of a sitting of the House without any definite date being fixed for the next sitting.

Appropriation Bill – A Money Bill passed annually (or at various times of the year) providing for the withdrawal or appropriation from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India, of moneys, voted by Lok Sabha and moneys charged on the Consolidated Fund for the services of a financial year or a part of a financial year.

Ballot – A process to determine inter se priority of more than one notice through a draw of lot.

Casting Vote -The vote cast by the Chairman, or a Member acting as such in the House and by the Chairman or a Member acting as such in a Committee, in the case of an equality of votes on a matter.